Whether you're a novice or an
offshort expert, here's a great
place to start. See the full
Fiorentino Rigging Set-Up at
work. To learn why the
para-anchor ("parachute
style" sea anchor) can be used on any
type of boat click here.Basic operation
You'll need a Fiorentino
parachute sea anchor, Fiorentino Deployment Rode and a Fiorentino Trip Line. Simply
drop the parachute sea anchor off the bow of
any large vessel or any
small boat and your're done. Anything
after that is
optional.... For example,sailboat owners may prefer to
birdle their parachute sea anchor for a
more comfortable ride as seen in
the sailboat illustration below.

How much anchor rodeMost average size trawlers and sailboats will pay out 300' to
600' of rode. Sport
fishermen will pay out an
average of 20-100' of rode:

Established in 1958 on the
West Coast of the Americas, Fiorentino
has
become a world
leading authority and U.S.
manufacturer for underwater
parachute sea anchors and storm
drogues.
Available in all sizes for the
recreational boater and marine
specialty market.

Excerpts
from "The Complete
Para-Anchor Set-Up" DVD --
Second Edition.

Be sure
to check out these first-ever videos
to learn how to
survive the
perfectstorm or how to catch
more fish! Includes Zack Smith's pionerring techniques
on how to deploy and retrieve
the para-anchor.

Fiorentino
Rigging Components for the Parachute Sea Anchor Scroll down to learn
"The Benefit" of each
accessory. To
learn more about proper rigging techniques visitZack
FAQ's

A: Retrieval Float:
The last float marking the
tail end of the Fiorentino
Trip Line. The Benefit:
High degree of visibility
allows a skipper to easily
motor toward the retrieval
float to capture the trip
line. Large enough to
prevent the parachute sea anchor
(para-anchor) from
sinking too deep under the
water when anchor rode is
slack. Handy Tip:
Your own boat fender may be
used in place of a
Fiorentino retrieval float.

B: Trip Line Support
Float
A small float secured in
the center of a
floating trip line.
The Benefit:
Provides necessary
tension in trip line to
avoid slack. Also serves
as an excellent marker
to help determine
para-anchor depth.

C: Fiorentino Trip Line
Used to help in deflation
and recovery of the
para-anchor. Trip lines vary
in length from 50- to 100-feet on typical vessels, and
up to 1,000-feet for those
with deep drafts and high
freeboards. The Benefit:
Enables the top of the
canopy to be pulled more
easily to the boat. Handy
Tip: Why not build your
own trip line? To learn how
see Zack's
FAQs
for complete instructions.
But, if you don't want the
fuss of rigging, you can
also purchase a "Rigged and
Ready" trip line by
Fiorentino.

D: Use
A Heavily Built Anchor or
Add Chain. All
parachute sea anchors must
properly be weighted down.
To accomplish this task
you'll need to add two or
three feet of chain to any
lightweight sea anchor. To
avoid the use of bulky
chain, deploy a compact
heavy built parachute sea anchor like
Fiorentino's Offshore Anchor.
The Benefit: Reduces
parachute rotation and
prevents shrouds from
twisting. Weight placement
aids the parachute sea anchor's
capabilities by holding it
deeper beneath the water and
away from dangerous breaking
seas.

The
Secret's in Our Orignal
Para-Ring Hardware -- made
affordable to all boaters!

E:
Fiorentino Para-Ring&circledR;
Hardware (Exclusive
Innovation) Serves
as an attachment point for
the anchor rode and
maintains a wide spread of
shroud lines, which enables
the anchor stabilizer to
more easily self-adjust. The
anchor stabilizer rotates
and tilts as environmental
forces penetrate the canopy
and produce potentially
damaging energy that is
transmitted through the
shroud lines to the
Para-Ring&circledR;. The Benefit:
In boiling seas and strong
ocean currents, the
self-adjusting Para-Ring&circledR;
prevents the elements from
pushing, rolling, or
spinning a parachute anchor
out of control, which can
lead to a tangled parachute
or blown out canopy
panel. Parachute
sea anchor balance
is achieved as the Para-Ring&circledR;
self-adjusts to uneven shock
loads that are carried down
the shroud lines from the
canopy. The tilting of the
Para-Ring&circledR; neutralizes the
mixed energy to create an
even pull on the parachute
canopy. This prevents
breakage and chafe.

F:
Choose a Rope(Rode)Nylon
rode is a well estabished
industry standard. Or you
can use Fiorentino's
innovative
strong, braided Dacron/Nylon
mix rope
that connects the parachute
anchoring system to the bow
of a vessel.The
amount of rode needed during
deployment depends on a
vessel's response to various
weather conditions - usually
10-feet of rode for every
foot of boat. The
Benefit: Because it
stretches under tension, the
rode absorbs massive shock
loads.

G: Snatch Block .
A stainless steel swivel
block, with a hinge or
sliding plate shell that
opens to allow a bight
of a rope to pass
through. The Benefit:
The block's ability to
open allows the block to
be clamped over anchor
rode in the event that
rigging a bridle becomes
necessary.

H:
Fiorentino Pendant Line
A stiff length of rope
with a block at the end.
The diameter of the
pendant line matches
that of the anchor rode.
Line length is dependent
upon size of the vessel.
The Benefit: When
attached to the anchor
rode, the pendant line
can be connected to a
stern winch to form a
bridle, which is then
used to hold a vessel in
a heave-to position
during heavy seas. To
position multihulls and
trawlers into the
weather secure the
pendent line to a bow
cleat. Handy Tip:
Why not build your
own pendant line? To
learn how see
Zack's FAQs.
But, if you don't want
the fuss of rigging, you
can also purchase a
"Rigged and Ready"
pendant line by
Fiorentino.

I: Pendant Line
Support
Floats
One or two small floats located
near the snatch block.
The Benefit:
These floats keep the
pendant line afloat
whenever it becomes
slack.

J:
Chafe Gear
Wrapped around the
anchor rode or pendant
line, this
chafe protection reduces
wear caused when the
line rubs against the
vessel and her rigging.
Fiorentino's RodeRaps
have proven to be very
durable and
long-lasting.
Option:
Conventional rubber
hose.

K: Fiorentino
Parachute Sea Anchor Set-Up

If you
have no time for rigging,
you can rely on our experts
to custom size everything
you'll need to operate a
Fiorentino para-anchor. Best
of all, you'll save time and
money whenyou let us do all the
work for you! Please
contact one of our
authorized dealers or
simply e-mail us yourBoat
Specificationstoday.

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